Signalman Hyman Redman. Royal Corps of Signals.

This is the second telegram that Hyman sent to his parents. This one is dated 9th September 1942.

 

This is the third telegram. It appears to have sent from Mhow, Central India, on the 22nd September 1942 but was not delivered in London until 29th September.

 

Hi Simon,

Hopefully I might have cracked it. Using E.H. Thornton as the clue.

He was a Union Castle Line Master during WW2 and commanded the Cape Town Castle for the duration of WW2. See this link:

http://www.bandcstaffregister.co.uk/page2222.html

In Munro's book, he is listed three times for WS18 WS23 and WS27. I've scanned WS18's journey for you from the point it leaves Durban breaking up into smaller detachments. It is at this juncture that Thornton becomes Acting Commodore.

There is still no mention that I can see of K.13, perhaps this was the code name for his ship?

Hope this helps, not water tight, but a strong lead I would say.

 

Steve,

that is brilliant, I think that it pretty much confirms that K.13 and the Cape Town Castle are one and the same as Thornton could not have arrived at Bombay in two separate ships. The K.13 newsletter dated June 1942 indicates that the voyage is nearly at an end. As the Cape Town Castle left Bombay on the 17th June for New Zealand. Sidney Sevier must have disembarked from the C T C at Bombay on the 7th.

It was also interesting to see that Thornton had earlier commanded the Llangibby Castle which was the ship that Hyman embarked on at Rangoon in 1945. You can see why I get confused.

Superb research and another piece of the puzzle fits together.

Thank you.

Simon.

 

I've only really used the WS Convoys book as a reference tool, it has certainly paid dividends here. Glad to have helped.

 

I have found another reference to a named troopship being referred to by a code letter and number. Taken from, The Bamboo Workshop - A history of the RAF repair and Salvage Units India/Burma 1941-46.

Although having no inkling as to what role they would be taking or what unit they eventually would be joining, on 27th July 1942 sixty men embarked on the HMT E15 (The Majola of the P. & O. Line at Liverpool and arrived at Gourock the following day to join a mixed convoy.

So this would appear to confirm that requisitioned ships were given code numbers with the letter indicating the convoy and the number the individual ship. The E.15 arrived at Bombay on 21st September 1942. We already know that the K.13 arrived at Bombay on 17th June 1942.

 

Thanks for the update HW.